1680 calories, not losing and fed up.

Options
jos_nic
jos_nic Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My daily calorie limit to lose 1lb a week was set by MFP at 1680. I weigh things, log religiously and walk every other day but am not losing. In 5 weeks I've lost 2lb :(. Should I change my weight loss goal to 2lb a week? But I don't fancy 1200 calories a day...which MFP resets too...
«1

Replies

  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
    Options
    If you're logging correctly with accurate food info...try lowering it to 1500 a day and see how that works.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,191 Member
    Options
    I am going to take your word that you are logging accurately. Are you tracking your progress with anything else but the scale? Weight is but one measure of progress, and not a very reliable one as many thing can effect it that have nothing to do with whether you are losing fat or not. Take measurements of your body. Take pictures. Then you have something else to go by.
  • Luv2Smile55
    Luv2Smile55 Posts: 133 Member
    Options
    I have a wonderful friend who says that our bodies are the smartest when it comes to knowing how many calories we need. If you aren't losing then you are eating too much. Plain and simple. Not being mean here, just stating a fact. Try reducing a little more and see what happens. Greatest of luck to you! :)
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
    Options
    For comparison.. When I started I was like you... set mfp for 1pd a week loss, exercised 4x a week, ate at my deficit... It took me 6 WEEKS to see 1pd loss...
    Patience.. Good Luck....(at least you have lost 2pds) :)
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Options
    If you are weighing things with a scale and accurately logging( I accpet you are), then the next thing would be to ask if you are eating back calories? if you are what % of calories as they cna often be overestimated , so you are burning less than you think.

    The other things to mention is that it becomes harder the less you have to lose and finally weight loss isnt linear, so of everything is being done correctly you have to be patient. I would o with what wizzy says and reduce it to 1500. Of it concerns you that much then open your diary and you will get a more detailed answer.
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,573 Member
    Options
    Just make sure you have the correct nutrition info for the food. Quite a few of the database entries are incorrect, so I always go by either the product label, or by the USDA Nutrition Database. I weigh my food including fruits and veggies...I do not use "1 medium apple" or "1 small banana" - I go by the weight, and compare it against the USDA database to make sure I have the right info.

    With home made foods or recipes it can be harder to nail down the exact nutrition info. You could be overeating and not even realizing it.

    Also if you use measuring cups/spoons to measure your portion instead of weighing on a digital food scale you could be way off as well.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    Options
    1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »
    You should be losing 2 pounds or more a week with such a calorie intake, but since you're not...you're obviously not counting your calories right.

    She specifically said she has MFP set up to lose 1 pound a week. Why then, should she be losing 2 pounds or more a week??

    OP, since you have seen SOME loss, you are doing something right. Looks like you are losing close to half a pound a week, which isn't bad. But since you're aiming to lose a little faster, something isn't quite right. You either aren't logging totally accurately, or MFP is overestimating your daily calorie burn (which could happen if you have a slightly slower than average metabolism or something). Also, make sure you are estimating your own exercise burn accurately.

    Spend a couple of weeks really focusing on logging totally accurately. If you're 100% sure you are, then try reducing your intake to 1500 or so, that should get you closer to 1 pound a week.

    Also, like a previous poster said, the scale isn't the only way to measure progress! If you're seeing a loss in inches or clothes are fitting better, there might not be a need to change anything.
  • tinallen863
    tinallen863 Posts: 50 Member
    Options
    Don't feel all alone. I guess if we were on survival mode we would be grateful for our super efficient bodies. Everyone has a different metabolism. I have to stay around 1200 calories for maintenance! Every Day! Of course you can get more calories from exercise.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    Options
    Are you eating back exercise calories you get from walking? if you are... Don't.
    Can you open your diary so we can see what you are logging?
  • uvi5
    uvi5 Posts: 710 Member
    Options
    Not enough info to even attempt to help. You should open your diary. How long do you walk each time. I'm set to 1420/ a day and exercise daily, but only eat back 1/2 the exercise calories if not less. But 2 pounds in a month is very good. Imo. Good luck Op :smiley:
  • adamitri
    adamitri Posts: 614 Member
    Options
    Asher_Ethan wrote: »
    Are you eating back exercise calories you get from walking? if you are... Don't.
    Can you open your diary so we can see what you are logging?

    This, I stopped eating back a majority of my exercise calories and the weight started dropping and I got out of my plateau.
  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
    Options
    First of all, you said you aren't losing anything...that's not true. You lost 2 lbs in 5 weeks. Losing weight is not an exact science and 2 lbs in that time period is just fine.

    I would not lower your calories or stop eating exercise calories as others have suggested. You want your body to lose weight on the largest number of calories possible, not the least. 1500 calories is really not a lot.

    Do a search on here for "In place of a road map" and you will findsome great info.

    Don't get discouraged by having lost 2 lbs. That is a decent amount. Just keep doing what you are doing.
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
    Options
    1592984904984984089984980 wrote: »
    clnrush wrote: »
    For comparison.. When I started I was like you... set mfp for 1pd a week loss, exercised 4x a week, ate at my deficit... It took me 6 WEEKS to see 1pd loss...
    Patience.. Good Luck....(at least you have lost 2pds) :)

    You obviously didn't eat at a deficit if it took you a month and a half to lose a pound. Come on man, I can lose a pound just by sweating for 20 minutes.

    You are probably right... I did trust the calories of food inputted into mfp and learned some are off.. also the weight went up and down but not considered a true pound off till 6weeks. She may be trusting the foods in mfp also, as others have pointed out.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Options
    HeidiHoMom wrote: »
    I would not lower your calories or stop eating exercise calories as others have suggested. You want your body to lose weight on the largest number of calories possible, not the least.
    So, if it were feasible to measure with such accuracy, you'd recommend eating at a one calorie a day deficit and losing a pound every 3500 days? Seems unlikely. You'd recommend that someone who's 100 pounds overweight lose at the same rate as someone who is five pounds overweight, because doing so is possible? Also seems unlikely.
  • uvi5
    uvi5 Posts: 710 Member
    Options
    HeidiHoMom wrote: »
    First of all, you said you aren't losing anything...that's not true. You lost 2 lbs in 5 weeks. Losing weight is not an exact science and 2 lbs in that time period is just fine.

    I would not lower your calories or stop eating exercise calories as others have suggested. You want your body to lose weight on the largest number of calories possible, not the least. 1500 calories is really not a lot.

    Do a search on here for "In place of a road map" and you will findsome great info.

    Don't get discouraged by having lost 2 lbs. That is a decent amount. Just keep doing what you are doing.

    Yes!
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
    Options
    jos_nic wrote: »
    My daily calorie limit to lose 1lb a week was set by MFP at 1680. I weigh things, log religiously and walk every other day but am not losing. In 5 weeks I've lost 2lb :(. Should I change my weight loss goal to 2lb a week? But I don't fancy 1200 calories a day...which MFP resets too...

    Continuing doing exactly what you are doing you will most likely reach your goal by the end of the year - which beats what happened last year, right? :) Still, I understand feeling peeved at a slow loss rate. It's great that you are walking - you don't say how much. Last year, I started eating fewer calories and walking - and the walking went from probably 1.5 miles a day (mostly incidental to my daily life) to intentionally walking outside, longer and longer, every day to the point that now I am walking 4-6 miles a day. Between the walking and the calorie reduction, I lost about 45# (from 193 to 148). The first bit came off at about 1 to 1.5 pounds a week. The last 20 was more like a half pound a week. I think that adding a bit more activity to your day, and continuing to be vigilant about tracking your food (weighing solids, measuring liquids, using data base entries that have lots of "confirmations") you'll get the results you want over time.
  • HeidiHoMom
    HeidiHoMom Posts: 1,393 Member
    Options
    DeguelloTex wrote: »
    HeidiHoMom wrote: »
    I would not lower your calories or stop eating exercise calories as others have suggested. You want your body to lose weight on the largest number of calories possible, not the least.
    So, if it were feasible to measure with such accuracy, you'd recommend eating at a one calorie a day deficit and losing a pound every 3500 days? Seems unlikely. You'd recommend that someone who's 100 pounds overweight lose at the same rate as someone who is five pounds overweight, because doing so is possible? Also seems unlikely.


    Wow you are really reaching there to find something wrong with what I said.


    obviously I'm not recommending eating a 1 calorie a day deficit.

    What I am recommending is to not drop calories further. Very few people need to eat so little to lose weight...which is why I suggested looking up "in place of a road map" on this site for a great explanation.
  • uvi5
    uvi5 Posts: 710 Member
    Options
    maxit wrote: »
    jos_nic wrote: »
    My daily calorie limit to lose 1lb a week was set by MFP at 1680. I weigh things, log religiously and walk every other day but am not losing. In 5 weeks I've lost 2lb :(. Should I change my weight loss goal to 2lb a week? But I don't fancy 1200 calories a day...which MFP resets too...

    Continuing doing exactly what you are doing you will most likely reach your goal by the end of the year - which beats what happened last year, right? :) Still, I understand feeling peeved at a slow loss rate. It's great that you are walking - you don't say how much. Last year, I started eating fewer calories and walking - and the walking went from probably 1.5 miles a day (mostly incidental to my daily life) to intentionally walking outside, longer and longer, every day to the point that now I am walking 4-6 miles a day. Between the walking and the calorie reduction, I lost about 45# (from 193 to 148). The first bit came off at about 1 to 1.5 pounds a week. The last 20 was more like a half pound a week. I think that adding a bit more activity to your day, and continuing to be vigilant about tracking your food (weighing solids, measuring liquids, using data base entries that have lots of "confirmations") you'll get the results you want over time.

    ^Hey, congratulations on your progress^ I started with walking a small amount per day, then more and more, now I have been doing aerobics step 6", walking, and 2 weeks into lifting weights. Getting stronger and way more active. I only eat back 1/2 if not less of the exercise calories. Sleeping well, eating well makes the workouts better and the results are showing. Going to attempt my rollerblades today as well! I lay off the scale for now and am going by how my clothes are fitting :smiley:
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
    Options
    Do you use a food scale?

Categories